My muse this week is Shawn Richter the owner of Richter Law, PLLC. Shawn specializes among other things in Estate and Business Law.

WHY SHAWN QUALIFIES TO BE ONE OF THE 2015 FEARLESS THIRTEEN.

There is strong research that indicates that entrepreneurs are born, not made. I believe Shawn is one of those men who was destined to start his own firm either by genetics or by fate.

Shawn’s grandfather immigrated to Canada after surviving a concentration camp in WWII and became a successful butcher. His father was an accomplished CPA who made a career change to start a prosperous construction business. His dad brought the family to Arizona where his construction business continued to thrive . Both Shawn’s brothers work in the family business. Shawn chose the law over following in his father and brothers’ footsteps. After just six years with two firms he decided to fearlessly take his first mentor’s advice and go out on his own. This mentor, a partner in his first firm, knew what Shawn came to know – he had no business working for others. He knew that he was meant to work for himself and his clients on his own terms.

The three biggest things that impress me the most about Shawn are:

He took the leap out on his own in spite of his fears.

He carries on the family’s tradition by being an entrepreneur.

He is relentlessly committed to his values.

In a nutshell….

I have watched Shawn over the past few years. We are both members of the Business Leaders of North Scottsdale BNI Group. He practices what he preaches by truly being a man of service. He is relentlessly tenacious and consistently generous. Quite frankly, he has the kind of un-compromisable values I wish all attorneys had. I believe that Shawn has just scratched the surface of where his career is going to take him. His future is destined for genuine brightness that will illuminate all those business owners and individuals who work with him.

FEARLESS INTERVIEW

Shawn took a few minutes to answer the five Art of Fearlessly Doing Business Questions. You will not be surprised to hear that Shawn believes in fearlessly sticking your neck out there!

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM SHAWN ABOUT BEING FEARLESS?

1.) Realize Your True Value and Go After It

Shawn says something at the beginning of his interview that I think all true entrepreneurs at some point realize. He realized that he was actually paying his firm to work for them! I believe that this is a moment of clarity that many of us who own our own business have. It is the moment when we realize – HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!?…. My paycheck is far less than my true value. WOW! I am the product! I can do this for myself and not share my value with my employers. Once one recognizes this fact, it never goes away. It is like learning to read and then reading a stop sign for the first time. You can never not read that sign ever again. You may want to run the stop sign and with sincerity say to the police officer, “Honest Officer, I could not read the sign. I did not know I had to stop!” But that would be a lie. You have a knowing now. All entrepreneurs at some point have this knowledge that cannot be ignored.

2.) Build Strong Relationships and They Will Follow

When Shawn was frustrated as a young attorney he did not yet fully know about the Power of Attraction. His mentor, who as I said earlier was a partner in his first firm, knew about this concept and encouraged him accordingly. He knew by encouraging Shawn to go out on his own that the firm would lose clients but believed it was Shawn’s destiny to be an independent. He knew that Shawn intrinsically took care of his clients and by doing that he built indestructible relationships. Not only did his clients follow him but, unknown clients who were watching him soon followed. When we do the right thing people take notice!

3.) Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People

Shawn surrounds himself with clients, employees and colleagues that are like- minded. He also belongs to several networking organizations and does charity work for Breast Cancer Awareness. He learned right out of the gate that it is very important to surround yourself with people who do the right thing.

4.) Practice what you Preach – Get Good Advice

We go to attorneys for advice and counsel. Shawn consistently practices what he preaches by taking advantage of mentorship programs and asking for counsel from friends and colleagues. He also belongs to a master mind group that meets regularly to support one another and keep one another accountable

5.) Do Not Put Your Toe in the Water – Stick your Neck Out!

When I asked Shawn the last question, “What is the biggest lesson you have learned about being fearless?” he said, “TO BE FEARLESS!” In his experience as an attorney working with business owners and individuals he knows, he believes unequivocally that there can be no success if you just stick your toe in. You have to stick your neck out and take the risk. Those who are willing to risk failing are the ones that succeed. Shawn has stuck his neck out and he is reaping the rewards.

Thank you so much ­­­­­Shawn for taking the time out to be one of the Fearless 13!

Note from the Artist:SHAWN’S ILLUSTRATION’S STORY:

The biggest fear that Shawn had was if his clients would follow him when decided to establish his own firm. So the ducks represent his clients following him. He mentions that in order to be successful, one must stick his neck out. He is the light bulb and the neck of the light bulb is in his pinstriped suit. His tie is a road – the road that every entrepreneur must travel has a legal component to it. In his pocket he has other entrepreneurs (light bulbs) that he relies on for counsel and support.

Another metaphor for the light bulb in Shawn’s case is that sometime light bulbs are put in incubators to hatch ducklings. The ducklings will move towards the light bulb to keep warm and to receive nurturing. Inside the light bulb are the legal scales that also look a bit like eyes, a nose and a mouth but that was just a coincidence (because as I have described in earlier illustration notes, I do not include faces on my figures intentionally).

The landscape is Arizona because Shawn’s family specifically chose Arizona as their new home. Muted in the background are scales symbolizing all the lingering legal decisions that must be made for a business that one must be ready to be deal with or prepared for. Having an attorney in your corner in advance of needing him is a very important part of being a savvy business owner so that you have the support to put out fires as they occur.

Work was shown from December 18, 2015 – January 04, 2016 at {9} The Gallery

Entrepreneurs and inspiring stories of all kinds are Fearlessly Deliver’s muse and focus. As an artist, a business woman and a visual journalist Michelle Micalizzi paints with a purpose. The Fearless Art Projects are collaborative social practice art engagements that connect art + business + community.

THE ART OF FEARLESSLY DONG BUSINESS is an unprecedented and unique project celebrates the fearless entrepreneurial spirit by highlighting thirteen unique and fearless business leaders.